Endoscope



mm 1935. w. N. ALLYN 2,023,945

ENDOSCOPE Filed Sept. 24, 1934 INVENTDR I 7. B 7 I ATTORNEYS PatentedDec. 10, 1935 UNITED STATES 'VOFFICE 10 Claims.

This invention relates to surgical instruments of the class commonlyknown as endoscopes including otoscopes and analogous implements adaptedto be used in the examination, diagnosis and treatment of the ear, nose,mouth and other internal parts of the body.

The main object is to render these operations more convenient,expeditious and reliable than has heretofore been practised and at thesame time to enlarge the range of use of a single instrument of thischaracter.

In other words, I have sought to co-ordinate in one and the sameinstrument:means for projecting a beam of light along an axis in anydirection to the part under examination for illuminating the same; meansadjustable lengthwise of and about said axis for focalizing andmagnifying the illuminated part without interfering with the vision andtreatment of such part; means for concentrating the rays of said beamwithin a relatively small area or field to reduce the liability oftroublesome coronae; and means for temporarily displacing the fleshywalls of the cavity in which, the part to be treated is located, and toarrange all of said means so that they may be used simultaneously,individually or in different combinations at the will of the operator.

Another object is to enable the sight-tube and lamp to be relativelyadjusted to different positions transversely of their respective axes orinto and out of registration with each other as may be required fordifferent examinations or treatment.

Other objects and uses will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawing:-

Figure l is a side elevation of a surgical instrument or endoscopeembodying the various features of the invention ready for use exceptthat the spatula is omitted.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the detached head of the same instrumentshowing the sight tube in its neutral position with the spatula inplace, the extension of the sight tube being removed.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively, a front end View and a rear end viewof the detached head and parts thereon as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 55, Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a front end view of the parts shown in Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional View of the proximal extension ofthe sight tube with a diagonal window therein. V

Figure 8 is a perspective view of the sight tube extensions detached onefrom the other.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the detached 5 spatula.

As illustrated, this instrument is adapted to be used in connection witha conventional type of battery-handle A and comprises a head or frame 1upon which is mounted a lamp-holder 10 2, a lens-holder 3, and a sighttube 4 carrying a spatula-holder 5, all of which parts are assembled ina manner hereinafter described.

The battery handle is arranged to receive one or more of the usualdry-cells and preferably 15 consists of a metal tube A and opposite endcapsections a and a, one of which as a. is removably secured to the tubeby means of a bayonet-Jock joint to permit the removal and replacementof the cells when required.

The cap-section a. is provided with the usual spring for maintainingelectrical contact between the cells and switch terminals of thelamp-circuit and also for grounding the battery upon the metal handle.

The cap-section a is fixedly secured to the tube A by means of screws 22and serves to receive and support a rheostat-switch which is suitablyinsulated from the metal handle and is provided with an exposedoperating member 0 co-axial with said handle and preferably ofinsulating material.

'A coupling member at is rigidly secured to the cap-section a inelectrical connection therewith for attachment to a companion couplingmember 6 on the frame i and serves to receive an axially yieldingcontactmember which is in constant electrical connection with themovable member of the rheostatic switch and forms a part of the lampcircuit.

The battery handle A including the cap sections at and a andrheostat-switch and the coupling members d and 6 are similar to thoseshown in my Patent No. 1,516,133 dated November 18th, 1924 and,therefore, it is unnecessary to further illustrate or describe theseparts.

. The head or frame l is preferably made of metal and. is provided withthe coupling member 6 having the usual internal contact member 6'rigidly secured therein and insulated therefrom 5 for axial engagementwith its companion contact member in the coupling member d when theframe I is coupled to the battery handle, thus forming a part of thelamp circuit.

A plate I is rigidly secured to the outer end of the coupling member 6to extend transversely to opposite sides of the axis thereof and at anobtuse angle thereto and is provided at the rear side of said axis withan outwardly projecting hollow post 8 terminating in a tubular hub 9having its axis substantially parallel with the plane of the plate 1.

The post 8 is provided with an opening l leading from the interior ofthe hub 9 to the interior of the coupling member 6 for receiving aninsulated conductor ll having one end connected to the contact memberwithin said coupling member and its other end connected to anothercontact member l2 which is yieldingly mounted within the opening I B toform a part of the lamp circuit.

The opposite ends of the tubular hub 9 are preferably threadedinternally to form co-axial sockets 9' and 9 for receiving respectivelythe threaded ends of the metal lamp holder 2 and a. supporting stem l3for the lens-holder 3, whereby the lamp holder and stem may be removablysecured in their respective sockets in co-axial relation to project inopposite directions from the hub.

The lamp holder 2 extends forwardly from the hub 9 across the axis ofthe battery handle and is provided with an electric incandescent lamp 2which together with the holder are of standard construction forinstruments of this character in that the infeed end of the filament isadapted to engage the contact member [2 while the other end is groundedupon the metal enclosing case or lamp socket to complete the lampcircuit when the switch is closed for projecting a beam of lightforwardly along and around the axis of the lamp.

The lens holder 3 comprises a sleeve l4 adjustable axially and angularlyupon the rearwardly projecting stem or spindle l3 and is provided with aradially oifset bezel l4 in which is mounted a magnifying lens [5 facingin the direction of projection of the beam of light.

It is now clear that the lens may be adjusted at will along and aroundthe axis of the stem l3 for changing its focus or for changing the lineof vision to the object or part under examination or it may be moved toone side of said line or entirely removed from the stem-when not in use.

The sight tube 4 preferably consists of a metal ring of considerablygreater interior diameter than that of the lamp or beam andeccentrically pivoted at it to the front end of the plate I to swingtransversely across the beam of light in a plane direction in front ofthe lamp so that different portions of its opening may be registeredwith said beam to allow the latter to illuminate the part underexamination leaving ample space around the lamp and beam within the ringfor a clear vision of the illuminated part with or without the aid ofthe magnifying lens.

When using the instrument for the examination of the interior parts ofrelatively small or deep cavities one or more extension tubes I! or I8may be telescopically fitted upon the ring 4 to project forwardlytherefrom or both tubes may be telescopically assembled end to end andthe rearmost tube fitted upon the ring 4 as shown in Figure 1, theoutermost tube being preferably tapered forwardly to more closelyconcentrate and direct the beam of light upon the part under inspection.

The inner surfaces of the ring 4 and its extensions H and I8 arepreferably provided with a non-reflective or black coating of anysuitable material to assist in preventing excessive corona:

effects and at the same time further concentrating the beam of lightwithin a relatively small area or field to increase its power ofpenetration upon the object.

The spatula-holder 5 preferably consists of a 5 pair of opposed springjaws 20 which are brazed or otherwise secured to the ring 4 at oppositesides of the pivot l6 and are provided with slots 2| having their innersides open for receiving one end of a forwardly projecting Woodenspatula 1Q 22 adapted to be used for displacing fleshy parts of a cavityin which the part under examination may be located and thereby to rendersuch part more easily accessible for treatment.-

When the sight tube 4 is adjusted to its neutral position, as shown inFigures 2 and 6, the slots 2| in the jaws will be brought into about thesame plane as the outer face of the plate 1 so that when the spatula isinserted endwise in said slots its rear end will lie against the plateto co- 20 operate with the'jaws in firmly holding the spatula inoperative position while permitting its longer forwardly projecting endto yield under pressure upon the part to be temporarily displaced.

As shown in Figure '7, one of the sight tube sections as I! is providedwith an internal transverse partition or closure 23 of plain glass orequivalent transparent material to form an air chamber 24 in which theair is adapted to be 39 temporarily trapped when the front section I8 isinserted into the organ under examination, said section being providedwith an air passage 25 which is connected by a flexible tube 26 to apneumatic hand-bulb 2'! whereby the air in the chamber 24 may bepulsated at will for pneumatically massaging the interior yielding partsof said organ, see Figure l.

The transparent partition is suitably secured within the section I? in aplane diagonal to and across the axis 01' said section and, therefore,diagonally across the beam of light to reduce the liability ofreflection of the light-rays to the eyes of the operator.

Operation When the instrument is to be used, the head i will first becoupled to the battery handle through the medium of the coupling members6 and d. Then, if the battery cells are properly placed within thebattery handle A, the latter may be grasped in one hand and held inposition for directing the beam of light to the object under treatmentwhereupon the switch operating mem- 65 her may be manipulated by thesame hand to close or open the switch so that when closed the lamp 2'will be energized to project a beam of light through the sight tubes tosaid object for illuminating the same.

If it is desired to magnify the illuminated object the lens l5 may beadjusted axially to bring the object into proper focus, or it may beadjusted to different angles as may be required for different views ofthe object or it may be adjusted angularly to a neutral position behindthe post 8 or removed from the stem l3 when not required, as shown bydotted lines in Figure 4.

If the spatula 22 is not required, it may be readily withdrawn endwisefrom the jaws 2| and laid aside or destroyed if necessary to preventreuse and possible infection of other patients.

It will also be noted that when the sight tube 4 and its extensions I!and I8 are not needed they may be rocked about the pivot IE to a neutralCII position, as shown in Figure 6, or, if adjusted for use, either ofthe extensions I! or l8 may be separately applied to the ring 4.

It is, of course, understood that in case it should become necessary ordesirable to treat the affected organ through the sight tube 4, thesection I! containing the partition 23 may be removed and replaced bythe section l8 or both sections may be removed so that the remainingsection may be used or adjusted to its neutral position at the will ofthe operator.

This instrument is particularly simple, compact and efficient and has awide range of uses in the examination and treatment of theear, nose,mouth and other parts of the body and may be easily and thoroughlysterilized and kept in a sanitary condition without deterioration orinjury, but it is evident that various changes may be made in thestructural details without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A surgical instrument comprising a frame, a lamp on the framearranged to project a beam of light along an axis, and a spatula holderpivotally mounted on the frame to swing about an axis at one side of andparallel with the first axis.

2. An endoscope comprising a frame, a lamp socket mounted on the frameand adapted to project a beam of light along an axis, and aspatula-holder pivotally mounted on the frame to swing about an axisparallel with the axis of the lamp-socket.

3. An endoscope comprising a frame, a lamp mounted on the frame toproject a beam of light along an axis and a sight-tube pivotally mountedon the frame to swing about an axis parallel with and at one side of thefirst axis to and. from a position in line with said beam.

4. In a surgical instrument of the character described the combinationwith a handle and a coupling member adapted to be detachably secured tothe handle, of a plate secured to the outer end of the coupling memberand provided with an outwardly projecting post, a hub secured to theouter end of the post, a lamp holder secured to one end of the hub, anda sight-tube hinged to said plate to swing to and from a position infront of the lamp-holder.

5. In a surgical instrument of the character described the combinationwith a handle and a coupling member adapted to be detachably secured tothe handle, of a plate secured to the outer end of the coupling memberto extend-forwardly therefrom and provided with an outwardly projectingpost, a hub secured to the outer end of the post in a plane parallelwith the outer face of the plate, a lamp-holder secured to the front endof the hub, and a sight-tube hingedly mounted on the front end of theplate to swing to and from a position across the front end of the lamp-5 holder.

6. In a surgical instrument of the character described the combinationwith a handle and a coupling member adapted to be detachably secured tothe handle, of a plate secure-d to the outer end of the coupling memberto extend forwardly therefrom and provided with an outwardly projectingpost, a hub secured to the outer end of the post in a plane parallelwith the outer face of the plate, a lamp-holder secured to the front endof the hub, a spindle secured to the rear end of the hub co-axial withthe lamp-holder, a sleeve adjustable along and upon said spindle, a lensmounted on the sleeve, and a sight-tube mounted on the front end of theplate in front of the lampholder.

7. A surgical instrument as in claim 6 in which the sleeve with the lensthereon is adjustable about the axis of the spindle.

8. An endoscope comprising in combination, a frame having a forwardlyand rearwardly extending plate, a post secured to and projectingoutwardly from the plate, a hub secured to the outer end of the post toextend lengthwise of the plate, a lamp mounted on the front end of thehub, a lens-holder mounted on the rear end of the hub, and a sight-tubemounted on the front end of the plate.

9. An endoscope comprising in combination, a frame having a forwardlyand rearwardly extending plate, a post secured to and projectingoutwardly from the plate, a hub secured to the outer end of the post toextend lengthwise of the plate, a lamp mounted on the front end of thehub, a spindle secured to and projecting rearwardly from the hub, asleeve movable axially of and angularly upon said spindle, a lensmounted on the sleeve, and a sight-tube hingedly mounted on the frontend of the plate to swing about an axis parallel with the spindle to andfrom a position in front of the lamp.

10. An endoscope comprising a forwardly and rearwardly extending plate,lamp-supporting means mounted on the plate, a lamp carried by said meansto project its rays forwardly, a sighttube hingedly secured to the plateto swing to and from a position in front of the lamp and provided with aspatula holder, and a spatula movable into and out of the holder.

WILLIAM N. ALLYN.

